Pan Michael: An Historical Novel of Poland, the Ukraine, and Turkey

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER XXXVII.

  The little knight, as Basia had foreseen, cried out against her plansat once when he learned them, said he never would agree to them, for hecould not go himself and he would not let her go without him; but onall sides began then prayers and insistence which were soon to bend hisdecision.

  Basia insisted less, indeed, than he expected, for she wished greatlyto go with her husband, and without him the journey lost a part of itscharm; but Eva knelt before the little knight, and kissing his handsimplored him by his love for Basia to permit her to go.

  "No other will dare approach my father," said she, "and mention such anaffair,--neither I, nor Azya, nor even my brother. Basia alone can doit, for he refuses her nothing."

  "Basia is no matchmaker," said Pan Michael, "and, besides, you mustcome back here; let her do this at your return."

  "God knows what will happen before the return," answered Eva, withweeping,--"it is certain only that I shall die of suffering; but forsuch an orphan for whom no one has pity, death is best of all."

  The little knight had a heart tender beyond measure, hence he began towalk up and down in the room. He wished above all not to part with hisBasia, even for a day, and what must it be for two weeks! Still, it wasclear that the prayers moved him deeply, for in a couple of days afterthose attacks he said one evening,--

  "If I could only go with you! But that cannot be, for service detainsme."

  Basia sprang to him, and putting her rosy mouth to his cheek began tocry,--

  "Go, Michael, go, go!"

  "It is not possible by any means," answered Pan Michael, with decision.

  And again two days passed. During this time the little knight askedadvice of Zagloba as to what he ought to do; but Zagloba refused togive advice.

  "If there are no other obstacles but your feelings," said he, "whathave I to say? Decide yourself. The house will be empty here withoutthe haiduk. Were it not for my age and the hard road, I would gomyself, for there is no life without her."

  "But you see there is really no hindrance: the weather is a littlefrosty, that is all; for the rest, it is quiet, there are commandsalong the road everywhere."

  "In that case decide for yourself."

  After that conversation Pan Michael began to hesitate again, and toweigh two things. He was sorry for Eva. He paused also over this,--isit proper to send the girl alone with Azya on such a long road? andstill more over another point,--is it proper to withhold help fromdevoted people when the opportunity to give it is so easy? For what wasthe real difficulty? Basia's absence for two or three weeks. Even if itwere only a question of pleasing Basia, by letting her see Mohiloff,Yampol, and Rashkoff, why not please her? Azya, in one event oranother, must go with his squadron to Rashkoff; hence there would be astrong and even a superfluous guard in view of the destruction of therobbers, and the quiet during winter from the horde.

  The little knight yielded more and more, seeing which the ladiesrenewed their insistence,--one representing the affair as a good deedand a duty, the other weeping and lamenting. Finally Azya bowed downbefore the commandant. He knew, he said, that he was unworthy of such afavor, but still he had shown so much devotion and attachment to theVolodyovskis that he made bold to beg for it. He owed much gratitude toboth, since they did not permit men to insult him, even when he was notknown as the son of Tugai Bey. He would never forget that the wife ofthe commandant had dressed his wounds, and had been to him not only agracious lady, but as it were a mother. He had given proofs of hisgratitude recently in the battle with Azba Bey, and with God's help infuture he would lay down his head and shed the last drop of his bloodfor the life of the lady, if need be.

  Then he began to tell of his old and unfortunate love for Eva. He couldnot live without that maiden; he had loved her through whole years ofseparation, though without hope, and he would never cease to love her.But between him and old Pan Novoveski there was an ancient hatred, andthe previous relation of servant and master separated them, as it were,by a broad ravine. The lady alone could reconcile them to each other;and if she could not do that, she could at least shelter the dear girlfrom her father's tyranny, from confinement and the lash.

  Pan Michael would have preferred, perhaps, that Basia had notinterfered in the matter; but as he himself loved to do good to people,he did not wonder at his wife's heart. Still, he did not answer Azyaaffirmatively yet; he resisted even additional tears from Eva; but helocked himself up in the chancery and fell to thinking.

  At last he came out to supper on a certain evening with an agreeableexpression of face, and after supper he asked Azya suddenly, "Azya,when is it time for you to go?"

  "In a week, your great mightiness," answered the Tartar, unquietly."Halim, it must be, will have concluded negotiations with Krychinski bythat time."

  "Give orders to repair the great sleigh, for you must take two ladiesto Rashkoff."

  When she heard this, Basia began to clap her hands, and rushed headlongto her husband. After her hurried Eva; after Eva, Azya bowed down tothe little knight's knees with a wild outburst of delight, so that PanMichael had to free himself.

  "Give me peace!" said he; "what is there wonderful? When it's possibleto help people, it is hard not to help them, unless one is altogetherheartless; and I am no tyrant. But do you, Basia, return quickly, mylove; and do you, Azya, guard her faithfully; in this way you willthank me best. Well, well, give me peace!"

  Here his mustaches began to quiver, and then he said more joyously, togive himself courage,--

  "The worst are those tears of women; when I see tears there is nothingleft of me. But you, Azya, must thank not only me and my wife, but thisyoung lady, who has followed me like a shadow, exhibiting her sorrowcontinually before my eyes. You must pay her for such affection."

  "I will pay her; I will pay her!" said Azya, with a strange voice; andseizing Eva's hands, he kissed them so violently that it might bethought he wished rather to bite them.

  "Michael!" cried Zagloba, suddenly, pointing to Basia, "what shall wedo here without her?"

  "Indeed it will be grievous," said the little knight, "God knows itwill!" Then he added more quietly: "But the Lord God may bless my goodaction later. Do you understand?"

  Meanwhile Basia pushed in between them her bright head full ofcuriosity.

  "What are you saying?"

  "Nothing," replied Zagloba; "we said that in spring the storks wouldcome surely."

  Basia began to rub her face to her husband's like a real cat. "Michaeldear! I shall not stay long," said she, in a low voice.

  After this conversation new councils were held during several daystouching the journey. Pan Michael looked after everything himself, gaveorders to arrange the sleigh in his presence, and line it with skins offoxes killed in autumn. Zagloba brought his own lap-robe, so that shemight have wherewith to cover her feet on the road. Sleighs were to gowith a bed and provisions; and Basia's pony was to go, so that shemight leave her sleigh in dangerous places; for Pan Michael had aparticular fear of the entrance to Mohiloff, which was really abreakneck descent. Though there was not the slightest likelihood of anattack, the little knight commanded Azya to take every precaution: tosend men always a couple of furlongs in advance, and never pass thenight on the road but in places where there were commands; to start atdaylight, and not to loiter on the way. To such a degree did the littleknight think of everything, that with his own hand he loaded thepistols for the holsters in Basia's saddle.

  The moment of departure came at last. It was still dark when twohundred horse of the Lithuanian Tartars were standing ready on thesquare. In the chief room of the commandant's house movement reignedalso. In the chimneys pitchy sticks were shooting up bright flames. Thelittle knight, Pan Zagloba, Pan Mushalski, Pan Nyenashinyets. PanHromyka, and Pan Motovidlo, and with them officers from the lightsquadrons, had come to say farewell. Basia and Eva, warm yet and ruddyfrom sleep, were drinking heated wine for the road. Pan Michael,sitting by his wife, had his arm around h
er waist; Zagloba poured outto her, repeating at each addition, "Take more, for the weather isfrosty." Basia and Eva were dressed in male costume, for womentravelled generally in that guise on the frontiers. Basia had a sabre;a wild-cat skin shuba bound with weasel-skin; an ermine cap withearlaps; very wide trousers looking like a skirt; and boots to herknees, soft and lined. To all this were to be added warm cloaks andshubas with hoods to cover the faces. Basia's face was uncovered yet,and astonished people as usual with its beauty. Some, however, lookedappreciatively at Eva, who had a mouth formed as it were for kisses;and others did not know which to prefer, so charming seemed both to thesoldiers, who whispered in one another's ears,--

  "It is hard for a man to live in such a desert! Happy commandant, happyAzya! Uh!"

  The fire crackled joyfully in the chimneys; the crowing of cocks began;day approached gradually, rather frosty and clear; the roofs of thesheds and the quarters of the soldiers, covered with deep snow, took ona bright rose color.

  From the square was heard the snorting of horses and the squeakingsteps of soldiers and dragoons who had assembled from the sheds andlodgings to take farewell of Basia and the Tartars.

  "It is time!" said Pan Michael at last.

  Hearing this, Basia sprang from her place and fell into her husband'sarms. He pressed his lips to hers, then held her with all his strengthto his breast, kissed her eyes and forehead, and again her mouth. Thatmoment was long, for they loved each other immensely.

  After the little knight the turn came to Zagloba; then the otherofficers approached to kiss her hand, and she repeated with herchildish voice, resonant as silver,--

  "Be in good health, gentlemen; be in good health!"

  She and Eva put on cloaks with openings instead of sleeves, and thenshubas with hoods, and the two vanished altogether under these robes.The broad door was thrown open, a frosty steam rushed in, then thewhole assembly found itself on the square.

  Outside everything was becoming more and more visible from the snow anddaylight.

  Hoar-frost had settled on the hair of the horses and the sheepskincoats of the men; it seemed as though the whole squadron were dressedin white, and were sitting on white horses.

  Basia and Eva took their seats in the fur-lined sleigh. The dragoonsand the soldiers shouted for a happy journey to the departing.

  At that sound a numerous flock of crows and ravens, which a severewinter had driven in near the dwellings of people, flew from the roofs,and with low croaking began to circle in the rosy air.

  The little knight bent over the sleigh and hid his face in the hoodcovering the face of his wife. Long was that moment; at last he torehimself away from Basia, and, making the sign of the cross,exclaimed,--

  "In the name of God!"

  Now Azya rose in the stirrups; his wild face was gleaming from delightand the dawn. He waved his whirlbat, so that his burka rose like thewings of a bird of prey, and he cried with a piercing voice:--

  "Move on!"

  The hoofs squeaked on the snow; abundant steam came from the nostrilsof the horses. The first rank moved slowly; after that the second, thethird, and the fourth, then the sleigh, then the ranks of the wholedetachment began to move across the sloping square to the gate.

  The little knight blessed them with the Holy Cross; at last, when thesleigh had passed the gate, he put his hands around his mouth, andcalled, "Be well, Basia!"

  But only the voices of muskets and the loud cawing of the dark birdsgave him answer.